Latch mechanism



July 10, 1956 R. L. TIMMS ET AL LATCH MECHANISM FJ' led Sept. l2, 1952 TJE'ZJ INVENTORSI ATTORNEYS United States Patent O LATCH lVIECHANISM Ross L. Timms, Akron, Ohio, and Arthur T. Sigo, Chicago, Ill.; said Sigo assignor, by mesne assignments, t Serv-Kraft, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 12, 1952, Serial No. 309,166 1 Claim. (Cl. 292-201) This invention relates to a latch mechanism and more particularly to a latch for use on a vending machine door or the like of the type wherein there are no external handles or other latch operating means for operating the latch mechanism.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a latching mechanism whereby the door may be opened automatically without any assistance from the outside. Another object of the present invention is that of providing a latching mechanism which obviates the need for handles or other conventional door opening means. It is an additional object to provide a latching mechanism for use in a vending machine of the type adapted to dispense a plurality of goods and services wherein the door may be opened automatically under the control of a remotely positioned operator. It is a further` object to provide a door latching mechanism capable of releasing the door and positioning it suticiently ajar that the customer may grasp the edge of the door and open it completely to remove the item therein. These and other and further objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out as the specification proceeds.

Figure l is a side elevation partially in section of a latching mechanism embodying features of the inven tion, with the latch shown in the retracted position and with the side of the latch frame removed for clarity;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the latch in the extended or open position;

Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, taken on line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a top plan view, partially in section, showing the latch in extended or open position; and

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a typical locker installation including the latching mechanism, illustrating the position of the latching mechanism relative to the locker.

As may be seen from Figure 5, the latching mechanism is mounted in the locker 12 adjacent the edge of the door 14. The door 14 is mounted by hinges 16 at the.

edge opposite to the latching mechanism 10 and carries a hook 18 adapted to cooperate with the latching mechanistn.

Referring now to Figure 1, the latch 10 includes a bell crank 20 pivotally mounted on a shaft 22 which extends across a U-shaped frame 24, a latch releasing lever or armature 26 pivotally mounted on another shaft 28 extending across the frame 24, an operating solenoid 30, a main spring 32 urging the bell crank 20 toward the open or extended position, and a second or detent spring 34 mounted so as to urge a loop thereof into a notch 36 in the bell crank 20. Bell crank 20 is also provided with a slot 42 which cooperates with a pin 44 mounted on frame member 24 to act as a stop for the forward movement of the bell crank 20. Also at the free end of the bell crank, there is positioned a pin 46 which extends laterally therefrom to engage the hook 18.

As shown in Figure 3, the spring 34 includes a loop which engages the notch 36 in bell crank 20 and holds 2,754,144 Patented `luly l0, 1956 the bell crank in the retracted position against the urging of spring 32. One end of latch releasing lever 26 is bent back on itself to form a hook 38 which is adapted to engage a portion of the end of spring 34 and to withdraw it from the notch 36 when the other end 40, which forms a part of the armature of solenoid 30, is attracted by the solenoid 30.

The latching hook 18 on the locker door 14 has a generally vertical slot 52 therein, with its open end projecting downwardly. The slot 52 at its inner end is adapted to tit the pin 46 closely and to hold the door shut when the bell crank 20 is in the retracted position by pressure of pin 46 against the inner edge of the slot 52. The opposite edge of the slot 52 presents a smoothly curved cam surface for the pin 46, the curve being such that downward movement along the curving portion of hook 18 aids in the opening of the door as will be described herein.

While this latching mechanism is normally operated electrically through the solenoid 30 there is provided an emergency actuating means for the opening of the locker doors should there be a power failure, or should the circuit to the solenoid become defective for some reason. This emergency operating means comprises a Ilug 56 on the latch releasing lever 26 and a mechanical connection thereto in the form of a rod or wire 58 which may be led to any conventional position outside the locker but available only to authorized service personnel.

In operation, to open the door the solenoid 30 in Figure l is energized. This draws the armature end 40 of latch releasing lever 26 toward solenoid 30. The resulting rotation of lever 26 about pivot 28 causes the hook 38 at its upper end to lift the spring 34 out of the notch 36 of the bell crank 20. The bell crank 20 then, under the urging of spring 32, snaps out to the extended or open position shown in Figure 2, pushing the door 12 open through the action of pin 46 on the hook 18. Upon the release of bell crank 20, pin 46 is pivoted on an arc about shaft 22, and thus rides upon the smooth curve of the slot 52 in the hook 18 outwardly toward the end of the slot at the lower portion of the hook 18, until stopped by the pin 44 and the s lot 42, as shown in Figure 2.

In this position, the customers hand may be inserted into the opening at the edge of the door to grasp the door and open it fully or to the extent necessary for removal of the contents of the locker. As may be seen in Figure 2 the pin 46 clears the lower extremity 54 of the hook 18 when the latch is in the extended position, thus allowing the door to be completely opened.

To close the door, the customer may either release the door, allowing it to be closed under the action of a spring, or it may be manually closed. In either case, as the door is closed, the pin 46 rides along the smoothly curved portion of the hook 18 and pivots the bell crank 20 about the shaft 22, until the bell crank 20 is again in the retracted position of Figure l, and the notch 36 is engaged by the spring 34. In this position the pin 46 is in the innermost end of the slot 52 and again locks the door in the closed position. The latching mechanism is now ready for operation again to open the locker door.

Itis thus readily apparent that I have provided a simple latching mechanism by which a locker door may be opened and which may be easily controlled from a remote location all in accordance with the aforementioned objects.

While there is given above a certain specic example of this invention and its application in practical use, it should be understood that this is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limiting of the invention. On the contrary, this illustration and the explanation herein are given in order to acquaint others skilled in the art with this invention and the principles thereof and a suitable manner of its application in practical use, so that others skilled in the art may be enabled to modify the invention and to adapt and apply it in numerous forms, each as may be .best suited to the requirements .of `a particular use.

We claim:

In a vending machine of the type adapted `to `disjgoense a plurality .of articles, services ,or the like from a plurality of lockers each having a door, a latch mechanism for each of said doors .comprising a frame; a bell .crank having a notch therein, said bell crankbeing'pivotally mounted at one end thereof in said locker adjacent one of said doors, a spring member having a loop gtherein adapted .to engage said notch and a lever having one end thereof ,formingY a movable armatre ,portion and the other end thereof a hook por-tion .adapted to engage said spring member, a solenoid for attractingV said armature portion to move said hook portion and cause it to withdraw said spring member from said notch, a pin on a free end of said bell crank and a hook mounted on said door so as to engage the pin at the free end of said bell crank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

